


There's a Hope

by brilligspoons



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-08
Updated: 2012-01-08
Packaged: 2017-10-29 04:24:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/315790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilligspoons/pseuds/brilligspoons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Prompt: Charles and Erik sharing a scarf as they walk through the snow.</i> In a perfect world, Erik looms over him as he lies in the snow, laughing because Charles losing his balance and falling is the most amusing sight in the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There's a Hope

Erik's laughter is a hard-won sound, and though one can never quite tell what exactly will set him off, Charles has discovered that it often happens when Charles has done something spectacularly embarrassing. For example, just a moment ago he'd been jogging steadily over to where Erik was waiting for him, and then there had been the barest hint of ice under his foot, and then he is inexplicably lying on his back in what must be the deepest snow drift on the estate. Charles, dazed and winded, is confused and more than a little annoyed when Erik doesn't help him up immediately, but the deep, barrel-chested guffaws make the cold wetness seeping through his coat worth it for some reason Charles can't quite name yet.

He remains still on the ground for just another second, and then he says, in as much put-out a voice as possible, "Help me up, will you?"

By the time he's back up on his feet, Erik has collected himself though his eyes, blue-green in the fading daylight, still sparkle with smug amusement. Charles brushes the snow from his backside and sniffs at him indignantly. "You shouldn't laugh at a man's misfortune," he says, and Erik turns away from him and breaks out into chuckles again. Charles quickly bends down to gather a handful of snow. He shapes it as best he can and continues, "You never know when that same man will exact his icy revenge on you."

He hurls the snowball at Erik's head and manages to hit his ear dead on. Erik stumbles a little and looks back at Charles incredulously. "Did you - did you just _hit me with a snowball_ " he demands. Charles gives him an innocent smile and a raised eyebrow. Erik scowls at him. "Very well."

Before Charles can even blink, Erik has struck him twice, once on his nose and once on his cheek. His face stings painfully, but Charles laughs and ducks a third projectile, scoops up more snow, and returns fire. Erik lands another one, this time to Charles' shoulder, and Charles manages to strike Erik's arm and hip before he trips into another drift.

"Really, Charles," Erik says, slowly making his way over to him, "one would think you a small boy with the way you insist on rolling about in the snow."

"My back certainly doesn't agree with you," Charles groans. He sits up and winces when his spine and neck crack.

Erik shakes his head at him and helps him up again. "Are we going to walk, or do you want to warm up inside?" he asks.

"Walk," Charles says. "I'll survive, I assure you."

"Of course you will," replies Erik. He doesn't release Charles' hand immediately, instead squeezing it gently before letting go and starting off down the path. Charles feels a rush of warmth spread through all of his limbs, and he has to pause and breathe for a moment until he's regained control of his knees, which seem to have melted a little.

He catches up to Erik, gingerly avoiding ice wherever he can see it, and knocks his shoulder against Erik's. "Come now," Charles says. "You can admit that you had fun back there. I won't tell anyone."

"I never said anything to the contrary," Erik replies. "Watching you flail about in a pile of snow is probably the most fun I've had in quite a while. You should do it more often."

Charles grins. "I'll see if I can oblige," he says.

The wind picks up suddenly, and Charles shivers. He brings a hand up to adjust his collar and stops walking, confused, feeling around his neck briefly. "My scarf," he says, glancing about. "I thought I'd put one on before I left, but -"

"Probably lost during one of your falls, if you remembered in the first place," Erik says. Charles startles when he feels warm flannel on his skin. He turns and sees that Erik has adjusted his own scarf so that one end is wrapped around Charles' neck, the other still around his own. Erik takes hold of Charles' elbow and pulls him in close. "Come along," he says, moving his hand down to twine his fingers with Charles' again. "I want to take the longer path tonight. Alright?"

"Yes," Charles breathes. "More than."

Erik smiles down at him. "Let's be off, then," he says, but they stand there for a while longer, sharing warmth and silence.


End file.
